German Editor Arrested for Attempt to Blackmail Jewish Leader

September 5, 1951

HAMBURG (Sep. 4)

Heinz Beversdorf, press officer of the rightist German Party has been arrested here, together with a Hungarian stateless person named Helig, on charges of attempting to blackmail the Jewish Central Committee of Germany.

Beversdorf, who is also editor of the “Deutsche Stimme,” approached the Central Committee with an offer to sell it 8,000 copies of a pamphlet slandering Joseph Rosensaft, chairman of the Central Committee, written by Helig. The Central Committee refused to buy the pamphlets, for which Beversdorf asked 4,600 Deutschemarks. When he threatened to distribute them throughout Germany, the Central Committee called in the police who made the arrests. Beversdorf has been relieved of both his posts.